Next in the spotlight are Barnet ahead of the Sky Bet League Two 2017/18 campaign.
How did they do last season?
The Bees had three different men in charge during the 2016/17 campaign. Martin Allen left the North London side for Eastleigh in December, leaving Rossi Eames in interim control of the side. The team had gone on a seven match unbeaten run throughout October, November and December and looked to be in the hunt for a play-off push before Allen’s departure.
Kevin Nugent then took the reins in February but the side won just one of their 11 league games under the Head Coach, drawing four and losing six.
It meant Eames took charge of the side once more until the end of an inconsistent season – the side finished in 16th place.
Who stood out?
Former Reds striker John Akinde finished the season as joint top scorer in the division with 26 strikes to his name in Sky Bet League Two – tied with Doncaster Rovers forward John Marquis.
The 27-year-old scored his 48th English Football League goal for the Bees in April to become their highest ever league goalscorer.
The Manager
The aforementioned Eames was given the role of Head Coach permanently towards the end of last month and is held in high regard by fans of the Bees.
The former medal winning artistic British gymnast joined the club in 2009 and subsequently worked his way through the ranks from the U16, U18 and U21 sides before being put in caretaker charge last winter.
Our meetings last season….
The Reds faced Barnet at the Checkatrade Stadium last August where the teams played out a 1-1 draw – Akinde’s early goal put the visitors ahead before Joe McNerney’s close-range header meant the spoils were shared.
The return meeting in March at the Hive also ended all square, but this time in a 2-2 stalemate.
Rhys Murphy put Dermot Drummy’s side ahead before a spectacular goal from Simon Akinola pulled the Bees level.
Enzio Boldewijn’s stylish finish in the second half put the Reds back in front, but Jamal Campbell-Ryce rescued a point for the hosts in the dying moments of the game.
The odds…
You can get odds of 10/1 on the Bees winning promotion next season, and they’re 50/1 to win the title with the EFL’s official betting partner Sky Bet.
